


Remember Me

by Jewell_Belle



Category: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25140202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewell_Belle/pseuds/Jewell_Belle
Summary: Growing up Drew had always believed in BL/I. They were what gave the world hope. Until one fateful day. Him and his childhood friend Kara started sneaking into the zones when he was ten. It was then everything changed. However, things couldn't stay perfect forever and Drew was forced to leave his new killjoy family behind along with any memory of them. Five years down the road and Drew has the perfect life: steady job, nice house, and loved by everyone. When he old friends decided to pay him a visit what will happen? Will he remember his days of rebellion or will he stay true to the people who gave him a new life?
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

"Dr. Fallin will see you now." A nurse in white scrubs said strolling up to me and my mom. She had on an overly fake smile. I knew that one day I would be smiling just like her. "Isn't being the last of the appointments for the day lovely? It ensures that you'll have a clean day." I resisted the urge to wrinkle up my nose in disgust. It would only make the process difficult and more painful. "It's absolutely fantastic." My mom replied, her voice monotone from her having just taken her daily dose of the pill. While the average adult would only have to take one pill a day my mom is a bit different. She had to take two pills in the morning scheduled time and one in the evening scheduled time. The head Drac of the district refused to tell me or my dad why. Not that my dad cared. He only cared through the pill. He was the ideal father. At least he was BLI's version of the ideal father. He went to work in the morning, came home for lunch, and then left once more and got home late afternoon. This was all because of the pill.

I knew that this isn't how life was supposed to be. All my life I'd been fed the same line: "Follow your path." In all of the books I'd smuggled from the zones it had used a more appealing line: "Follow your dreams." I didn't start sneaking into the zones until I was ten. Before then I had believed that BLI was there to help us. However, as I began to sneak out my views almost immediately changed. Of course BLI had told us of the rebels. They called themselves Killjoys. BLI had always instructed us to steer clear of them. They didn't want us to get infected as they had. The first few times of sneaking out were easy. My friend Kara and I would just walk around, making sure not to venture very far from the city. It was about two weeks of sneaking out when we encountered our first Killjoy. Kara and I had left early that day due to her father being called into work. Something felt off the moment we had stepped foot across the city line. Me, being a year and a half older than Kara, had automatically gone into protective mode. However, after no odd occurrences for a while I had slowly began to relax. The day went fine, as usual. It was on the way back to the city that things went south.

"Hello there. I'm Doctor Fallin and I'll be your medical droid for the day." A tall white bot in a white lab coat said as it walked into the room. "According to your chart you're here to start on the pill. Is that correct?" He asked looking at me. I nodded my head before he looked down at the object in his hand. "Before I give you this I must ask you a few questions. For these questions I need complete honesty. Do you understand and agree to these terms?" The bot asked a line I'm sure he had repeated multiple times. "Yes I do." I said, attempting to keep my voice balanced. It must've worked as the bot began to ask a series of questions. "Do you now or have you ever experienced any kind of emotion not caused by BLI or any BLI product?" He asked. "No I have not." I answered. "Do you now or have you ever felt any feeling of rebellion?" He asked, not looking up from the piece of paper in his hand. "No I have not." I said again. "Have you ever rebelled?" He asked, still not looking at me. "No I have not." I replied with more confidence in my voice. "Have you ever been outside the city without permission?" He looked up at me this time. I took a small breath before speaking. "No I have not." He nodded and once more looked down at his paper.

The questions after that were much more simple and basic such as my name and age. After about 15 questions I began to scan my eyes around the room in a subtle manner. One thing I learned from the zones was that BLI was always watching. It's what HE taught me. Sure enough located in the doctor's ear was a small camera, barely visible. If I wouldn't have been searching for such I wouldn't be able to spot it. I looked away from it quickly and once more began to scan my eyes. Now that I knew for sure I was being watched I began to daydream as I answered the doctor's droning questions. I instantly thought back to when I first encountered a killjoy.

"Come on Kara! It'll be dark soon! We should be back by now!" I yelled at Kara. She gave me a small glare and continued to draw in the dirt with her finger. "Loosen up Drew. What's so wrong about staying out later than we normally do? It's peaceful out here. You've got to love it." She exasperated. "The SCARECROWS will be patrolling soon. If they catch us then they'll have us wiped." I told her sternly, not denying that I loved the hot desert outside of the city. She let out a small sigh as she stood up. "Fine. Let's race though!" She took off in front of me before I had a chance to stop her. "Kara! Wait up!" I smiled as I ran toward her. I finally caught up to her and we both laughed as we ended up side by side. Suddenly we both came to an abrupt stop as we ran into an object in the way. I looked up to see two SCARECROWS standing over us. The one leaning over Kara pointed his gun to her head. She shut her eyes in fear and I felt my blood run cold. "No!" I shouted as I jumped up and attempted to lunge at the SCARECROW. However, as soon as my body lunged forward an arm caught me. I struggled against the strong hold to no avail. Just as I had gave up on any kind of hope I heard a loud 'zap' noise from behind me. The arm holding me back from Kara dropped and I quickly lunged forward to pull her away from the ray gun that was pointed at her. The SCARECROW quickly spun around. Before he had a chance to even put his gun up another loud zap sounded and he fell to the dry desert ground. Kara and I looked up to see a tall man with a yellow mask. His hair was bright red and I automatically felt safe around him. Besides the fact he had saved our lives he had an aura of safety surrounding him. He looked at us with confusion that was quickly replaced with a blank and emotionless face. He knelt down to our level before whispering something. "Keep running." With that he quickly stood and took off in the opposite direction of the city.

"Do you now or have you ever made any kind of contact with a killjoy?" This question snapped me out of my daydream. "No." I said quickly. The doctor paused for a moment. I assumed that BLI was judging my reaction to this question very carefully. After a few seconds I began to feel nervous. Maybe they had noticed my quick answer. Maybe my eyes had widened without my consent. Maybe my voice had wavered. Maybe- "It seems that you have been approved to start taking the miracle pill. You will need to take one every night at scheduled time. Do not take one at any other time than has been instructed. Doing so will result in extermination. Do you understand and agree to these terms and conditions?" The doctor droned and I inwardly sighed. "Yes I do." I replied. "Please swallow this." He commanded handing me a small, white pill. I took a deep breath and did what I was told despite everything telling me not to. "Thank you for your time this evening. You are free to go." The doctor left the room and I relaxed. I walked straight to the car, not bothering to wait on my mom who was slowly walking behind me. "When we get home can I go over and see Kara for a bit?" I asked mom after she had finally made it inside the car. "Yes." She replied in the same monotone voice that I had gotten used to hearing from her. I sighed knowing that I would one day be the same.

"Drew!" Kara exclaimed as she ran up to me, her flower pattern sundress blowing behind her. "Hey Kara." I replied attempting to keep the sadness from my voice. As soon as her eyes softened I knew that I wasn't able to. "I'm guessing that it didn't go too well?" She asked me. I shook my head and she pulled me into a hug. "They gave me a pill before I left. I'm guessing since I'm here right now it hasn't kicked in yet." I told her as I pulled away. "Do you want to spend your last day in my room or do you want to take a chance of going into the zones?" She asked me sadly. I saw hope in her eyes but for the first time in a long time it didn't reflect in mine. "I think we should stay here." I answered. "Are you sure? Maybe Doctor Death Defying could figure something out." She suggested. I just shook my head. "I wish we could but we can't. It just isn't safe. What would happen if we go out there and something happens after the pill kicks in? The first dose is always the worse. I would be like a zombie. I wouldn't be able to help you." I told her looking down. She grabbed my hand. "Please Drew? Just one last time. It'll be the last time we'll ever be able to go together. You've got to at least tell everyone goodbye." I looked up at her and saw the pleading in her eyes. I sighed in defeat. "Fine but as soon as I tell everyone we're leaving." I said sternly. She smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Come on. We've got to be back before dark." I told her as we began walking toward the zones.

We approached the abandoned looking diner carefully. When we walked in the bell above the door sounded and we heard a crash come from the storage closet behind the counter causing us to look at each other. I carefully snuck to the door and put my hand on the knob. I glanced at Kara and she nodded. I nodded back and looked at the door again before slowly turning the knob. I quickly pulled open the door. Something came tumbling out as I braced myself for a fight. As soon as the object landed face down I rolled my eyes and relaxed. A groan came from the lump on the floor and I bent down to it. "Why were you in the closet?" I asked with a sigh. "Because Kobra said that there was a bag of Peach Rings in it. He was lying." Fun Ghoul said as he sat up. "Why was the door shut?" I asked next. "I may have threatened to shove him into the closet earlier." He paused. "He locked me inside one instead." I sighed and helped him up. "Thanks Drew." He then noticed Kara and gave her his signature smirk. "Hey Kara." He said in an attempt to flirt. "Hi Ghoul!" She shouted excitedly. "Where is everyone?" I asked as I looked around. "They're all in the basement with Doctor D. At least I think. I was inside a closet so their words were a bit muffled." He said causing me to once more roll my eyes at him. "Well let's go down there. I have something I need to tell you guys." I said turning away before my emotions got the best of me. Ghoul didn't notice anything off or if he did he ignored it as he quickly dashed toward the door that led down the basement. By the time me and Kara got there he was already half way down the stairs. I paused for a moment and I felt Kara put her hand on my shoulder. "Do you want me to go first?" She asked. "Please." I whispered. She nodded and stepped in front of me. I paused for a breath before taking a step. The last one I would take as a decent and conscious human being. The last one I would take with any kind of hope that maybe things would get better. The last one I would take with a secret dream of being one of the people I looked up to most. The last one I would take as a not quite killjoy.

"Kara! Drew! My young friends! How are you both?" Party asked moving to give us a hug. "Hey there Party!" Kara smiled as she gave him a hug. "Hi Party." I said less enthusiastically. "What are you guys doing?" Kara asked, stalling for me until I gained the confidence to tell everyone the news. "We were about to put out a new broadcast for the killjoys so we were just trying to decide what songs D was going to play." Jet Star told us. "The Kids from Yesterday." I suggested. "That's a great idea! Add that to the list Kobra!" Party shouted with a smile. "What are you guys doing out this late? I thought you said that you had to be home before the sun began to touch the horizon." Show Pony spoke up from the corner of the room. Kara looked at me and I nodded. "Um is Crash around?" I asked about Crash Cola, who we were also very close to. "Not tonight. He went out to search for a group of Ritalin Rats that we've caught taking some of our zaps. Why? Is everything okay?" Show Pony asked, concern lacing his voice. "I guess I'll just tell you guys without him then. Make sure he knows that I'll miss him. Tell him I said thank you for everything that he's ever done for me and for Kara." I said my heart sinking knowing that I wouldn't be able to ever see one of my only friends ever again. If I ever did I wouldn't know who he was. "What do you mean you'll miss him? Where are you going? What are you talking about Drew?" Party asked with a hint of desperation in his voice. I took a deep breath and looked at them all before speaking.

"Before I tell you guys I want to let you know how much you all mean to me. Without you I wouldn't be here. Kara wouldn't either. I was always told that Killjoys were the enemy. Party, when you saved Kara and I, you completely changed my outlook. I knew that Better Living was wrong. You weren't evil and selfish. You weren't these monsters that they made you out to be. You are the reason that anybody has any kind of hope. All of you are. Without you there would be no reason to fight. All of you guys have showed me the way that I wish I could live. You are the ones that taught me how to fight. When I say that, I mean both mentally and physically. Unfortunately I can't fight any longer. I tried but there is no way around it. Today I took my first pill. Soon it'll kick in and I'll no longer be the Drew that you know. I won't be the Drew that you took under you're wing. Instead I'll be the new Drew. I'll be the Drew that works for the city. I'll be the Drew that follows Korse's every order. I'll be the Drew who won't step foot past city lines because it's one of the city rules. I'll be the Drew that I vowed to you all I would never become. I tried to keep my word and not become that Drew and I'm not doing it willingly but I have sadly failed and in just a few short hours you will all be the people I both loath and fear the most."

I finished with a deep breath. I struggled to keep my watery eyes from crying as I looked at the shock on everyone's face. I didn't blame them for being shocked. I was always the one who said that no matter the consequence I would keep fighting. Now I've gone back on word and I'm the one who is giving up. I knew that I could avoid this. I knew that I could run away. I could stay in the zones, become a killjoy. However, if I did that they'd start looking for me. BLI keeps an extra eye on me and my dad due to my mom having to take more than one pill. The first thing they'd do is go to Kara. They'd be able to see through all her lies. As soon as they did they'd torture her. They'd make her tell about me. If all else failed she'd be wiped. I know she'd also want to go with me. I wouldn't let her throw her life away for me. She wasn't quite ready to join the killjoys and I knew this as well as her.

Without warning Ghoul fell to a nearby chair, sobbing quietly. Party quickly moved to sit beside him. Ghoul pulled himself into Party's shirt as he continued to sob. I looked away from them and instead looked at Doctor Death. He hadn't said a word since Kara and I had walked in. He nodded showing me he understood my decision before turning to the radio in front of him. I didn't miss the sorrow in his eyes though. I looked at a clock placed on Doctor's desk. I sighed as I read it: 6:52. I turned to Kara. "It's time to go." I said ignoring the silent tears coming from her eyes. She nodded and wiped her eyes before moving to tell everyone bye. I followed after her. I gave Jet a hug first. "If something happens and you remember us for even a moment, don't hesitate to come back." I nodded as I moved to hug Kobra who was standing beside Jet. "You'll always be welcome here. You're always going to be one of us." I then moved to Show Pony. "Once a killjoy, always a killjoy." I nodded yet frowned, knowing that I would never be able to pursue my dream of actually becoming a killjoy. I walked to D. who was still staring at his radio blankly. "I'll miss you." I said quietly. "This isn't a true goodbye. This is only a temporary goodbye. Even with the pill you have a strong spirit. You've stayed with us for this long on your first dose. You may not know it but somewhere behind that little white pill you will still be kicking." I turned away knowing that he wouldn't explain what he meant even if I asked him to. I looked at Party and Ghoul who were huddled together in a small and worn leather chair. Ghoul had stopped crying but his eyes were still red and puffy. I felt guilty knowing that I was the one who had caused it. They both stood as I approached. Ghoul quickly threw himself onto me causing me to stumble back a bit. I quickly regained my balance and hugged him back before peeling myself away from him. I then looked at Party. His eyes were glistening as he held his arms open for me. I complied and collapsed into his arms with a loud sigh. I buried my face into his neck as I felt tears prickling at my eyes. "Keep running." He whispered as I pulled away.

Without looking back I hurried to the stairs that lead to the inside of the diner. "See you tomorrow guys." Kara whispered causing a pang of jealousy to hit me. I knew that I'd never be able to say those words ever again. I walked out of the diner quickly, feeling as though I was suffocating slowly. "Drew! Wait up!" I didn't slow down as I heard Kara's footsteps pounding after me. "I know it's hard but you did the right thing. I wish it could be some other way but in my heart I know it can't." She said through breathes as she finally caught up with me. I lifted my hand to wipe my crying eyes as I nodded. "I know. It's just hard. Those guys back there are my family. I have no family in Batt. City. Even on the pill I don't think anything will ever be the same." I said as I felt myself become increasingly lightheaded. "We need to hurry. I can feel it starting to take effect." I told her causing us both to speed up as we headed for Battery City knowing I'd never be the same again.

We finally reached the city, sneaking in through a hole in the surrounding fence, attached to a rickety old shed. From there it took only a few minutes to get to Kara's small house. I looked at Kara with blurry eyes as we walked up to her door. "I'm going to miss you." She said with watery eyes. "I know I'll miss you too." I said as I pulled her into a tight hug. "Promise me that as soon as you can you'll leave here. You'll go somewhere safe. Stay with the boys even. Make sure that they're okay because we both know that they're just idiots with guns." I whispered to her with a smile on my face. "I will." She whimpered back as I pulled away. "Goodbye Kara. Thank you for being my friend." I told her as I turned away. I heard her utter one last thing before I walked away, the last bit of emotion leaving. "Killjoys never die."


	2. Chapter One

FIVE YEARS LATER

"Mr. Erickson?" I looked up as I heard my name. "Yes ma'am?" I replied to my boss. "You have a letter waiting on you once you are finished with your shift." She told me. "Thank you Miss Thomas." I said as I looked back down at my computer screen. For as long as I could remember I had been a droid programmer. I would sit at a desk from 7am to 8pm programming broken droids. The cases that passed me were normally ones that had tried to rebel. Everyone said I had the "magic touch" as I was able to fix all that I came across. After work I would always go home, after stopping at Battery Grocer's in order to pick up a bottle of nutrients and sleep. Once every month however my daily routine would be interrupted with a single letter. It wasn't a long drawn out letter with meaning. It was always only two words, Please Remember. It never said who or where it was from which gave me no way to track it. I know the smart thing to do is report each of these letters to BLI but I could never bring myself to do it. It'd be the safe thing as well as the legal thing to do. However, deep down there was always a feeling in the pit of my stomach that stopped me. Something that said there was a reason I shouldn't give it to BLI. So I listened to that feeling.

After a few more hours of programming the bot I was currently working on I turned off of my computer and stood from my desk, being sure to grab my flash drive. Before walking to the doors of the building I stopped at a sliding glass window labeled Mail Desk. "Letter for Drew Erickson." I said into the small slot where a woman sat. She stood up and disappeared for a moment before returning and opening the window. "Here you are sir. Have a better day." She said before handing me my letter and shutting the window back. I turned away and began walking away. Knowing I was being watched by BLI I always chose to open the letter at home where I had complete privacy.

I stepped into my house with a sigh, happy to be home. I always felt different at home than I did at work. I loved my job but I was always happier when I was at home in privacy. "I shrugged off my suit coat before sitting at the bar and pulling out the letter I had received. I opened it hastily before pulling it open. When my eyes scanned over I felt an immense amount of confusion. Unlike the previous letters this had three sentences. I read it quickly. "We can't wait any longer. It's getting more dangerous. See you later tonight." I furrowed my brows as I read over it again. Although it had more writing than the others, it was no less elusive. For a moment I considered phoning BLI. The letter stated that it was getting more dangerous, whatever it was. However, I couldn't help but think that phoning BLI would make it worse. So instead of doing the rational thing that I know I should I walked to the bathroom. I pulled out the pill that I had to take every day, the miracle pill.

For as long as I'm able to remember I've taken the pill. It's always been my nightly routine. I hated how I felt as soon as I took it, like I was missing a part of myself. However, it is what protected me at the end of the day. Without it I would be more susceptible to an attack by the killjoys. Not taking the pill would break down my will to obey which would cause me to develop feelings. Feelings that weren't good. Without the pill there were not good feelings. Only ones of rebellion and disorder, two things that BLI stood against. However, as I stared at the small tablet in my hand I began to question. I always did this right before I took my daily dose so I wasn't surprised as the thoughts entered my mind.

What were the killjoys exactly? I knew that they were bad but how were they so bad? I'd only seen one killjoy close up. That was when one had tried to sneak into my office building. Some dracs had gotten her before she could tamper with anything. I found it odd seeing a female killjoy. From what we were told by BLI killjoys were some sort of super breed, like they were strong and powerful. However, she was only a young girl, no older than 17. Despite her age though, she seemed like someone who fought for something right, something that she believed in, and something that she would never give up on. I saw her one other time after that. She was in a drac mask training for her first day on the job. At the time I was proud of her. She was able to overcome her rebellious stage and do something great with her life. Looking back on it now I become confused. It seemed as though she wouldn't give up whatever she was fighting for yet that's exactly what happened. There's times that I think maybe BLI forced her to give up her ways and forced her to become one of them but then I remember that BLI are the good guys. The killjoys are the ones who needed exterminated. Normally with that thought I could take my pill but tonight was different. Maybe it was because of the letter, maybe I was becoming sick. Either way instead of downing the pill I tossed it in the toilet before pressing the flush button. I then walked into the living room and pulled out a small green notepad and a black pen.

Before my brain could process my actions I was sketching something onto the piece of paper. I knew when I was younger I would draw different things. Most of the drawings from that time were of various flowers and plants. Some were of my parents or even a diner that contained only a few silhouettes inside. However, one was different from the rest. It was one that my parents didn't show me. I found it underneath my mattress as I was packing to move out. It was of five people. Four males and one female. What struck me odd about it was that the people on the paper were known outlaws of Battery City. It was a group of killjoys that were often known to attack the city. They were known as the Fab Four. There was Party Poison, who was the leader of the bunch, Fun Ghoul, the one who was typically know for blowing up various shops around the city, Jet Star, who everyone called the mastermind of the group, and Kobra Kid, who was said to be able to take out a drac with one hit. They were the most notorious of all the killjoys. However, the girl who was standing with them was much less known. I wouldn't have known who it was had I not done extensive research after discovering the drawing. She was called Adrenaline Earthquake. She was a killjoy who was not commonly known or seen. The times she was seen were during raids. From what people gathered she was the reason the Fab Four were able to locate various targets around the city. One report even suggested that she was originally from Battery City. However, either way nothing explained why I would draw a picture of people I had never met, especially if they were a threat to the company that I owed my life to.

After an hour or so of drawing I lifted my pen, feeling satisfied of myself. However, that satisfaction was short lived as I saw what I had sketched out. It was the drawing of three men. One of them was standing over another who was in a wheelchair at a desk. This one had on a pair of tight, white pants with blue polka dots. On his feet was a pair of roller skates and on his torso, a crop top. On the desk was a large radio system like you would see in a studio. The man in the wheelchair was speaking into a microphone attached to a large console. The other man was faced away from the desk with his head down. He was wearing an olive colored denim jacket with a grey shirt underneath. He was also wearing a pair of black combat style boots and had a thoughtful look on his face. I knew who they were. It was three killjoys who were commonly associated with the Fab Four. The one in the wheelchair was a radio DJ for the killjoys, Doctor Death Defying. The one looking over him was Show Pony. The other one was not one who most were familiar with but through my extensive research I found who he was. He was called Cherri Cola. From what I could find out he was very close with the Fab Four.

I shook my head as I closed the pad and stood to go to my bedroom. It was almost curfew and the last thing I wanted to do after drawing a picture of a group of notorious killjoys was get in trouble with city officials. Before leaving the living room I tucked the notepad securely inside my white reclining chair. I then went to the bedroom to change. I pulled out a pair of white sweatpants as well as a white long sleeve shirt. I then walked into my hallway bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. After doing so I hastily climbed into my bed and closed my eyes. However, within seconds there was a knock on my front door causing me to groan and get up. As I walked to it I began to feel very nervous. Maybe BLI somehow knew I didn't take my pill and were hear to incarcerate me. As I approached the door I took a deep breath to help myself calm down. I then opened the door. There was a person in dark clothing. "Drew Erickson?" The person questioned sounded shocked. "Yes?" I asked my heart beating so loud I'm sure the dark figure could hear it. "You look a bit tired. Why don't you sleep?" Before I knew what was happening a hard object was pulled from behind the person before it struck me in the head. I fell down and groaned. "Sorry buddy but it's time to go home." The person muttered before I closed my eyes and let the darkness encase me.

As I awoke I kept my eyes shut. I could hear people breathing in the room but I couldn't tell how many there were nor who they were. "Look at this one!" A male voice exclaimed. "Be quiet or you'll wake him." A second male voice countered. There was a shuffling noise before the second voice spoke again. "Wow that's amazing. I can tell it's recent because the pen isn't quite fully dry." There was a quiet gasp. "Do you think that he remembers? I mean without seeing us how could he go into that much detail without a flaw?" The first voice asked. "I don't know. Let's not get our hopes up though. I'm gonna go and show this to the doctor. You watch him." There were footsteps before I heard a door open and close. I laid there for a few more minutes to see if the first voice would leave also. Finally I decided to make him aware that I was awake. I groaned and opened my eyes slowly, blinking at the brightness of the room.

"Drew! You're awake! That's great!" I looked over, my eyes widening at what I was met with. I was lying on a small cot. Beside it were two small folding chairs. One chair was empty. However, the other was occupied. The man had a walkie-talkie in his hand. He clicked a button on it before speaking into it. "Jet, Kobra, Adrenaline! Get in here! He's awake!" He had a huge smile on his face which continued to confuse me. "Fun Ghoul?" I questioned to ensure that it was indeed one of the most dangerous killjoys that currently had me hostage. His face lit up. "You remember?" He asked excitedly. I furrowed my brows at this. "Remember what? I remember that you are one of the most outlawed criminals in history! BLI will find me and take me back! What do you want with me anyways? Did you run out of guinea pigs for all of your killjoy experiments?" I wasn't really sure what I was saying but I did know that I was confused and scared. It wasn't every day that I get kidnapped by the leaders of the killjoys then have one of them call me by name and act as though they know me. "So you don't remember. I knew this was a bad idea." Fun Ghouls face fell instantly and I saw his eyes well up with tears. Just then the door busted open to reveal three more people. I looked to see Kobra Kid, Jet Star, and Adrenaline Earthquake. They all had a look of excitement on their face. "Drew! It's so great to see you!" Adrenaline Earthquake shouted happily. I scowled in her direction causing all of their smiles to disappear. "He doesn't remember guys. I thought he might because of the picture Party found but I was wrong. I guess I should've expected this." Fun Ghoul sighed as he hung his head. "You don't remember anything?" Kobra Kid asked me. "Stop acting like you all know me! I don't know what sick joke this is but when I escape, which I will, I will make sure that BLI finds you and exterminates you." I said in as threatening of a voice as I could. This made Kobra Kid's face to form into a neutral look. Jet Star put his hand on his shoulder as if to comfort him. "Let's go guys. It's obvious he doesn't want us here. We'll make sure that someone is standing watch at all times. Maybe Doctor D. can help us out." He said addressing the other killjoys in the room. He then turned toward me. "We'll be bringing you in some Power Pup to eat later. I'm sorry that things must be this way." He then nodded toward Fun Ghoul who stood up and left the room. They all trailed out after him, Adrenaline Earthquake at the back. Before she left she turned around. "Please remember." She said quietly. She then turned and left, tears in her eyes. For a moment I froze. I thought back to each letter I'd received. All of them had said those exact words and although I wouldn't admit it aloud something about the rebel killjoys had felt familiar. I shook my head and looked over to see a book lying beside the cot. I quickly picked it up and examined it. It was titled, "Peter Pan". Knowing I had nothing better to do I opened the book and began to read.

"Dinner time!" A shout sounded as the door of my room opened, causing me to jump in surprise. Party Poison looked at me before smirking. I see you've found the book that Adrenaline left out for you. How is it so far?" I looked down at the book I held tightly before giving him a wary look. "Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you or anything. In fact I'm trying to keep you safe." He told me as he sat in a chair across from me. He offered me a can of Power Pup that he held in his hand and I took it quickly. I looked down as I took a small bite of the unappetizing food in the can. "It's good." I finally said after I swallowed the bite in my mouth. "It's always been one of my favorites." Party Poison said with a smile. "Why is it outlawed in the city?" I asked, starting to feel more comfortable around him. He looked at me sadly. "What does it make you feel so far?" He asked. I gave him an odd look. "Just answer." He told me. "Well it makes me feel longing I guess. I mean it'd be cool to go somewhere that you could be who you want to be for all of eternity. I mean, yea Captain Hook is trying to stop them all but they won't give up just because of him." I explained to him. Party Poison then gave me another sad look. "Exactly, it makes you feel the way that they don't want you to feel: Hopeful." With that he stood up and walked away, leaving me with many thoughts.

I thought about the story from a different perspective. Instead of Peter Pan and the lost boys I thought of the killjoys. In place of Captain Hook I pictured BLI. The killjoys were running from BLI. All they ever tried to do was escape from BLI. They spent their time hanging around in a dusty diner and talking to each other. It made them seem as though they were a family, a family running from the villain. BLI was constantly chasing them, trying to beat them at a game of cat and mouse. The times that BLI did win they would corrupt the killjoy. I thought back to the killjoy turned drac. Just as the lost boys she fought for what she believed in even after she was captured. There was absolutely no way that she would so quickly abandon her beliefs. This thought made my blood boil. Everyone deserved at shot at life, at thinking for themselves. Everyone was entitled to an opinion, even if it wasn't one that mirrored your own. Everyone deserved to be who they wanted. With that finally thought I set the full can of Power Pup on the bedside table along with the book still in my hand and lay back on the cot, ready to tell the killjoys in the morning that I was willing to have hope.

I woke up in the middle of the night due to a loud noise. I sat up and looked around, confused before realizing that I was in the small room at the killjoy's hideout. My eyes snapped to the door as I heard it creak open. Even through the darkness I could make out the figure that was sneaking into my temporary room. "Drew? Are you awake?" Adrenaline Earthquakes quiet voice whispered. "Yea." I said as I sat up. She sighed before flipping on the light causing me to squint my eyes in surprise. She shot me an apologetic look before moving to sit on my cot. I sat up and scooted over to make room. Although I was extremely uncomfortable I took a deep breath as I remembered my thoughts from the night before. "I'm sorry to bother you but we need to talk. Nobody bothered to explain what's going on did they?" She asked. "Not really." I told her in response. "Okay so I guess I'll do that now. If you have any questions feel free to ask me." I nodded at her and she continued. "I'm sure that you've heard the rumors that I'm from Battery City originally. Well I'm going to clear those up and tell you that they're true. Before I was Adrenaline Earthquake my name was Kara Placeman. You and I were best friends." I furrowed my brows in confusion. "I'm pretty sure I would remember that." I said and she let out a sad chuckle. "Three days after your 18th birthday you started on the so called miracle pill. It made you forget everything." She explained and I nodded at her to go back to where she was before I interrupted. "Anyways you and I were always running around together, exploring wherever we could go. Eventually we made it out to the zones. That's when we met Party. He saved us from some dracs who were planning to dust us. He left before we could learn who he was. It took us about a week but we finally found the diner which housed him and the other guys." "The other guys of the fab four?" I asked her. She nodded. "Along with Doctor D, Cherri, and Show Pony." I nodded in understanding causing her to continue. "You and I became very close to the killjoy leaders. They became our family, especially yours. They also taught us how to fight. You would always say how much you wanted to be like them, how you wanted to be a killjoy. You worked hard at it every day and you were definitely on your way to becoming one." Her eyes glassed over and a look of sadness came over her face as she continued. "You knew what was coming before you told us. You always wanted the best for me and you knew I wasn't near experienced enough to become a killjoy so you took your first pill without incident. That was the last day I talked to you. I tried to a few times afterwards but your mom would always say that you weren't available. I never stopped watching you though. The guys and I always had your back, even when you couldn't have ours."

She finished with watery eyes and I scooted closer to her very cautiously. Although I didn't remember, I felt a sense of familiarity which led me to immediately believing the young killjoy who sat before me. "I want to remember." I whispered quietly. She looked at me with a shocked expression. "What?" She asked me to repeat myself as if to assure her I that I had indeed said what she heard. "I said that I want to remember. I want to remember you, Party, Ghoul, Kobra, Jet, Doctor D, Cherri, and Show Pony. I want to remember every ounce of training I went through, and even what thoughts went through my head. I just want to remember it all." I told her. She looked at me seriously. "Are you sure? Once you remember you can never go back to BLI." She told me sternly. "Does it look like I'll be going back anyways?" I asked rhetorically as I gestured my hand to my surroundings. This caused her to nod and smile. "Tomorrow we talk to Doctor D." She said before standing. "Goodnight Drew." She said kindly as she opened the door. "Goodnight." I replied with a yawn. "Oh, and Drew?" She paused to look at me. I looked at her expectantly. "I missed you." With those last words she walked out. Once she left I turned off the light and lay back down. I just hoped I'd be as confident in the morning as I was right now.


	3. Chapter Two

"Drew? It's time to wake up." A gentle voice woke me up. I groaned and rolled over, burying my face into my pillow. A huff sounded and I took a deep breathe, assuming that the person would walk away. "Come on. We've got to go talk to Doctor D. and the guys." The voice said in a whining tone. I rolled over once more but didn't bother opening up my eyes or sitting up. "Do we have to?" I asked feeling my stomach turn over from the anxiety looming over me. "Yes we do and I suggest you get up to do it now or all the waffles will be gone. I mean, unless you'd rather have some nutritious Power Pup instead." The smirk in Adrenaline's voice made me groan loudly and open my eyes slowly. My sleepy ones met with her amused ones. "You realize that they aren't going to trust me right?" I asked as I stifled a large yawn. "Do you really blame them?" She said bluntly. "Not really." I sighed as I sat up and stretched my arms out, hearing them crack from being stiff. I looked down at my white clothing and glowered. "Do you have any other clothes I could wear?" I asked with a bitter voice. She nodded. "I'll go and grab you some of Party's clothes." She said as she walked to the door. I nodded as she walked out before closing my eyes and leaning my head against the wall behind me.

I wanted anything that had to do with BLI far, far away from me. The thought of them made me sick to my stomach. I didn't see why they would lie to us. For so long they were who I trusted and just giving up that trust was very hard. Part of me wanted to run back to them and hide in my house as well as my previous ignorance. However, another part of me wanted to stand tall and rebel against them with everything I have. I was torn and it caused a physical pain in my chest. I looked down at the book that lie beside my cot from the night before and felt a small spark in my chest. "I've got to do this, if not for myself then for Adrenaline. Her large hazel eyes full of hope from the night before fluttered behind my eyelids. There was a sense of familiarity in them that made me search my brain from any memory of the bright orbs. Coming up with nothing I let out a frustrated sigh before running my hand through my short hair.

"You had better not be asleep Drew." Adrenaline's voice scalded causing me to open my eyes and let out a sheepish. She nodded in an approving manner before tossing some clothes by where I currently sat. "You have some shoes there too. I'll be standing outside the door. Just come on out once you're finished." I nodded and she walked back out of the room. I looked at the clothes warily before peeling them apart from each other. There was a soft pink shirt with black words written on it. It read: ART IS THE WEAPON. With it was a pair of bright purple jeans that looked startlingly tight. Finally there was a pair of yellow socks shoved inside a pair of bright blue flat bottomed shoes. I looked at the outfit nervously before taking a deep breath in and letting it out. I quickly put it on and looked down at myself. I felt beyond uncomfortable in the bright colored clothes but sucked it up as I walked outside. As promised, Adrenaline was waiting for me outside of the door. When she saw me she raked her eyes up and down my body, drinking in the sight, before sucking in a sharp breath as her eyes welled up with tears. "You look like yourself again!" She shouted before flinging herself onto me, her small arms wrapping around my neck. Instantly I tensed and she pulled back with a sigh. "Too soon?" She asked, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. I nodded in confirmation. "Sorry about that. You just look so much like, well, you." She said as she shot me a sheepish smile. "It's fine." I shrugged attempting to relax my alarmed mind. There was a loud noise from somewhere close and I jumped. Adrenaline just laughed. "Don't worry that was probably just Ghoul being his clumsy self." She laughed as she gestured me to follow her.

When we entered what appeared to be a retro dining room my eyes widened, drinking in the sight before me. Party was standing on top of one of the dining booth tables with what looked to be a broken leg from a wooden chair in his hands. He was standing in a pose that reminded me of a cat who had crouched down to stretch its front legs and spine. Fun Ghoul was lying on the ground, looking at Party with a challenging face. He too had in his hands a wooden chair leg. However, his was held horizontally just above his face, his knuckles stark white from gripping either end of the leg. Kobra Kid was sitting in the booth Party stood on wearing a bored expression as he looked at the situation before him. Jet Star had a look of confusion on his face as he stood near the entrance to what I assumed was a kitchen. In his hand was a frying pan and I couldn't help but snicker internally at his pink and white plaid cooking apron that read in bold blue cursive letters: Kiss the cook.

"Are you for real guys? I leave you in here for five minutes and you lose your minds!" Adrenaline's loud shouting pulled me from my trance. Fun Ghoul snapped his head toward her and offered a sheepish smile before his eyes shifted to me. His mouth dropped open as he stared at me. I looked away from him quickly to see that Jet Star had drifted back into the kitchen. Kobra had a shocked look on his face. When I finally looked at Party the air from my lungs left me. His eyes bore into mine with a sincere expression. He offered me a gentle smile which made my stomach lurch at how familiar it felt. I looked back down at Fun Ghoul who looked as though he was struggling to compose any thought. "What's going on here?" Adrenaline asked causing his attention to turn back to her. Recognition shone in his eyes as he realized that he was currently on the dirty diner floor. "Me and Party were just having a friendly sword fight." He told her with a goofy grin on his face. Party's head jerked to look at him. "Is that what you call friendly?" He then whipped his head to Adrenaline. "He threatened to eat my portion of waffles!" Party shouted incredulously. I looked at Adrenaline who just rolled her eyes. "I swear I live with a group of children." She muttered under her breath. She then began walking toward the booth that three of her fellow killjoys were gathered at. I quickly shuffled to catch up with her as my heart beat faster than I ever thought possible. She slid into the side across from Kobra and I followed her hesitantly. From the corner of my eye I could see Fun Ghoul eyeing me warily as an awkward silence created a tension that was overwhelming. "So Drew, how did you sleep last night?" Party asked as he sat down beside Kobra. "Other than the cot being a bit uncomfortable I managed to sleep pretty well." I replied in a soft voice. He nodded and gave me a light smile which I returned. "Okay so don't get mad at me but I'm just a tad confused. Why is Drew in here and why is it no big deal to anyone else?" Fun Ghoul asked moving to sit by the two brothers. Party shot him an exasperated look while Adrenaline rolled her eyes before answering in a strong and confident tone. "Because I think that D. was right. Drew is still in there somewhere. If we can find a way to pull that Drew back to the front lines then maybe we can also find a way to pull his memories back." Party cut her off, earning a heated glare. "If we can get those back then we'll 100% have Drew which means that we'll be able to pick up where we left off and have a chance to take them down." He finished with a big smile. Fun Ghoul nodded while I narrowed my eyes at the fact they spoke as if I wasn't there. "What if Doctor D. ends up being wrong? You and I both know that he can sometimes let his emotions cloud is judgement." Kobra voiced as he studied the table with great intensity. "I don't think that he would with something this serious." Party said in a confident voice. However, his eyes held an uncertain glint. "Can you please tell me what's going on instead of pretending I'm not here?" I asked the rhetoric question in an agitated tone. Party smiled apologetically at me. "Doctor Death Defying has a theory that your memories are somewhere inside you. He believes that you can't remember anything because of the pill. Somehow when your emotions were wiped your memories were too. He also thinks that if you stop taking the pill then overtime your memories will come back." He explained. I nodded, grateful to know what it was they were talking about yet confused about how it could happen.

Before I could question further Jet Star appeared from the door behind the small dining counter. Fun Ghoul's eyes widened at the stack of pancakes on the plate that Jet Star sported in his right hand. "Breakfast!" Jet Star exclaimed as he scuttled up to the table and sat the large plate in the middle of us all. "Good morning Drew." He smiled as his eyes met mine. However, I could feel hesitancy radiating off of him. I smiled a small smile at him in response before I took the plate of pancakes that Adrenaline was offering me. I then grabbed the super crunch peanut butter that I saw Fun Ghoul eyeing hungrily. I had heard of peanut butter before, obviously through rumors but this was my first time actually trying it. I carefully slathered some onto the pancakes, having a difficult time due to the chopped up peanuts mixed in with the butter. After getting finished I handed the jar to Fun Ghoul who quickly took it from me, instantly opening the jar and slathering some on his serving before shoveling a bite in his mouth. Instead of devouring mine like he did, I took a small bite, unsure of what it would taste like. It tasted like nothing I had ever eaten before in the best way possible. It wasn't long before we all finished our breakfast and dispersed from the table.   
Adrenaline gestured me to follow her. I did as I was told and sat beside her in a chair that was inside a small utility room in the diner. "I know this is hard for you." She told me sadly. I nodded at her as she continued. "You left a life that you knew. A life that was familiar. We completely uprooted you from your life. While you have no idea who we are, we come to claiming to know you. To love you and miss you. While I know that all of this is hard for you, I can't imagine how hard. For that, I'm sorry." She smiled sadly at me and I frowned. "You're right. This is hard for me. I know that it has to be hard for you too though. I was there for you your entire life. All of a sudden your world changed. The person who was there for you from day one was gone. Instead, I was someone you didn't know. Someone who you loathed and someone who loathed you. You knew that if I knew about you I would tell BLI without much hesitation. There's no way that was even close to easy for you. So I'm sorry too." I finished with a frown. Adrenaline smiled softly at me. One day, I have confidence that things will go back to the way they should be." I smiled lightly at her before she stood up and stretched. "Let's go back out there with the guys. You never know what kind of entertainment you may get from them" I nodded and followed her out. 

"Are you ready to go see D?" Adrenaline looked at me from where we were sitting on the floor. I nodded as I absent-mindedly played with my shoelaces. Kobra Kid must've noticed the hesitation on my face as he nudged me with his shoulder. "Don't worry. D may sound intimidating and he may even look intimidating but he's nothing more than a big softie. Especially when it comes to his killjoys, he treats us like his children." I sighed. "I'm not a killjoy though." I told him. "You used to be a killjoy though and once a killjoy, always a killjoy." He told me, his voice so full of hope I was almost able to believe him. Instead I scoffed. "It doesn't matter. I may be a killjoy somewhere deep inside of me but on the outside all I am is Batt City scum." I could taste the venom in my voice. "So why are you still here?" Adrenaline asked me. I opened my mouth to answer but quickly closed it. "Exactly. You aren't scum. You're one of us." She proclaimed causing Kobra to nod his head in agreement. Still I shook my head. "Whatever Battery City did to me doesn't just go away that easy." I sighed. "Do you know what they did to you?" Kobra asked. I shook my head. "So how do you know that it doesn't go away that easy?" He frowned. I frowned back at him. "Have you ever had a gut feeling that you just can't ignore?" I asked before looking down at the ground. I felt a hand on mine and looked up to see Kobra looking at me sadly. "I have multiple times. This is one of those times. I have a feeling that it'll all be okay. Maybe you won't be perfect again but I know that it'll be okay." I looked down once more and shook my head. "You aren't Drew." I looked at Adrenaline to see her giving me a sharp look. "What do you mean? Of course he's Drew. Who else would he be?" Kobra asked her as he scooted a fraction closer as if Adrenaline was going to jump me. "I don't know but it isn't Drew! Drew wouldn't just give up on me! He'd fight for his life back! Even being on some stupid medicine he'd fight for all of us! You told us that you'd never stop fighting! Now look at you! All you are is a quitter!" After she finished yelling Adrenaline hopped up quickly before walking off with a red face and tears in her eyes. I groaned in frustration. "This is what confuses me. I was always taught to not care and that having emotions aren't good yet seeing her like that hurts me and I don't know why." I put my head in my hands. "It's because you know inside that no matter what you were taught you're still just a killjoy. You always have been and always will be even if you don't see it." Kobra said as he put a comforting hand on my back.

The sound of the basement door opening caused me to look up. "You ready to go see D?" Fun Ghoul asked as he peeked out of the doorway. I nodded and stood up, Kobra following my actions. I walked over to the door before taking a deep breath and following Fun Ghoul down the dark stairway. As I walked I felt a strong sense of déjà vu. I snapped out of it as Fun Ghoul stopped in front of me. In front of us was a large room whose walls were covered in posters and pictures of all kinds. On the opposite side of the room there sat a large desk which had radio and DJ equipment set upon it. I immediately recognized it as the room from my most recent drawing. Behind the desk, his back toward us sat a man in a wheelchair. Beside him, with his back also toward us, stood a tall lean figure clad in an olive colored jacket. "Fun Ghoul, took you long enough. Did you get lost on the way up the stairs?" A figure in a blue crop top and white polka-dot leggings asked and he came our way, roller skates on his feet and a helmet on his head. Fun Ghouls only reaction was to stick his tongue out. Show Pony just ushered him out of the way and into the room. "It's so wonderful to see you Drew. I'd hug you but it'd make it awkward since you probably don't remember me." He said before looking at Cherri Cola who was walking our way. "Thank you Fun Ghoul." He said before nodding his head and turning toward me. "Drew, how are you feeling?" He asked me. "Fine I guess." I said as I scrunched my eyebrows. "No headache, stomachache, any feelings of nausea, dizziness, or anything?" He asked. I shook my head and he nodded. "Follow me." I did as I was told and followed him over to Doctor D's desk. "Hello there Drew." He said to me in a laid back tone. "Hello." I said quietly. "I'm not going to introduce myself because I know that the industry from below has introduced me through lies and deception. Lies that they've fed since before you were born. Lies that you grew up hating. Lies that you now believe due to a tiny pill, smaller than the brain of Korse. However, I think that we can reverse what they did to you and make that brain of yours remember the past that you tried so dearly to cling to. In order for me to do that though I'm going to need your full cooperation and at least most of your trust. Do you think you could do that my not so young killjoy?" He asked me. I narrowed my eyes slightly. "I can do that but please don't call me a killjoy because I'm not one." I requested as nicely as I could manage in the situation. At that he laughed. "You are a killjoy through and through. Just because you don't see it at the moment doesn't mean it's not true. You've been one since you came up to Kobra's waist. The first step in the process of undamming the poisoned mind is fighting, which you're mighty good at I'll add. I've got to call you killjoy whether you feel like one or not." He told me. I let out a sigh of defeat and just nodded. "Good now Kobra, explain the steps that we have to take in order to gain the ultimate freedom."

Kobra who had moved to stand beside Show Pony looked up. "Yes sir." He said before looking at me. "Alright so as you can see one step is dressing like a killjoy. Another thing that will be important is know how to 'speak' killjoy. Fun Ghoul is going to teach you I guess. Umm, you also have to learn to shoot which Party and Cherri are going help you with that I think. Adrenaline is supposed to just help you adjust and take you around to show you some of the places you used to go as kids. I'll be going with you guys just as backup." Show Pony snorted as he skated up to us. Also because you don't trust her to drive." He laughed from under his helmet. "No I don't trust her to drive. Last time I let her we ended up having to burn down a perfectly good building." He said as he ran his hand through his hair, seeming frustrated. I looked at him with wide eyes. "What's the story behind that?" I asked. He shook his head. "Don't ask he muttered which caused Show Pony to laugh and me to just shake my head in confusion. "Anything else?" I asked. Kobra opened his mouth to speak but Show Pony quickly interrupted him. "Jet Star is going to help you by giving you quizzes on everything that a killjoy stands for." He said a little too enthusiastically. I nodded timidly. "So when are we going to start?" I asked as I looked at Dr. D. "Right away. You're going to start off with Kobra and Adrenaline. They'll show you around the zones so that way you'll at least know where basic shops are. Also I need a few supplies from Tommy so I figure that you tumbleweeds will be perfect to fetch them for me." He said causing Kobra to nod and me to scrunch my eyes in confusion. "Tommy? I've heard that name before. I just can't seem to remember where." I said as I picked through my memories but came up with nothing. "Well my killjoy you and the lovely Tommy Chow Mein were quite acquainted before the corporation came after your soul. Saying that reminds me, Kobra, make sure to eat candies. Tommy doesn't know that Drew is back so he'll be suspicious." Kobra nodded causing Dr. D. to turn back to his desk as Cherri and Show Pony led us to the door. "Again, it was good to see you Drew." Show Pony smiled. Cherri agreed with him causing me to give them each a small smile before me and Kobra walked back onto the ground floor of the diner.

"So what all do we have to get from Tommy?" Adrenaline asked as she rested her feet on the dashboard of the car. Kobra glared at her but answered anyways. "Just a few things for Dr. D. He didn't give details." Adrenaline smiled. "I wonder if he got anymore Vinyl in." She said happily. "What's that?" I asked from where I sat behind her. She looked at me from the rear view mirror happily. "They're the coolest thing ever. They're like CD's only bigger and they sound rawer. You and I used to have the only copy of Mad Gear and Missile Kid's album." She said happily before her face turned solemn. "That is until Ghoul decided he was going to try and shoot right into the center of it. Needless to say his aim sucks." She said this with sadness. "Well I'm sure Mad Gear and Missile Kid can hook us up with another." I said hopefully. She just sighed and shook her head. "I wish. After you left they got really big so all they ever do is tour the zones. I've been to one of their shows and it was great. It made me miss the people behind the masks though." She said. "I'm sure there's some way to get ahold of them." I said optimistically. This time Kobra answered. "As soon as you figure out how be sure to let us know." He said light heatedly. That's the exact moment that I knew no matter if I ever remembered my past; I was going to do right by not only these two killjoys but also killjoys everywhere.


End file.
